marks officially one year since I got married. Woohoo! Since first anniversary gifts are supposed to be involve paper (I had to look this up, had no idea), I thought I would share some of my favorite stationery. I love paper cards and hand written notes, though I’m often too lazy to actually execute them. However I vow that going forward I will hand write more notes!
The first set is very special to me because it was actually a gift from my husband when he proposed. He specifically requested that Smythson order in this design and he picked it up in their London shop (we got engaged at The Berkeley nearby in Knightsbridge). He wrote me a letter on it when we got engaged and now I have the rest of the box!
I love big cats on anything so of course I adore these cards – they have tigers on them! The envelopes are lined with classic gold tissue.
Next up is some of my Cartier stationery. Anything out of one of these red boxes is good. I used to have a special set that Cartier issued for Chinese New Year (along with a special discount…oh the olden days…) but unfortunately I misplaced it somewhere.
These are three of my favorite Cartier paper patterns. Plain white edged with red (and it comes with red lined envelopes), the classic Cartier panther, and a lotus blossom. I have to say that the Cartier panther is my absolute favorite and so I only save that one for very special occasions!
Finally I wanted to share some of my favorite “everyday” stationery. I don’t have many items from Kate Spade but I love the paper products from the brand. I’ve used these “Signed Sealed Delivered” cards for everything from thank you notes to engagement and wedding congratulations cards. A great set to have on hand.
I also keep a few of these cards in my desk at work as well.
So these are a few of my favorite paper products! Do any of you collect stationery and what are some of your favorites? I know that there are some of you out there, why else am I always waiting in line at Paper Source?
42 Comments
Michelle
August 13, 2012 at 6:49 amHappy First wedding anniversary Katherine….and yes I love stationery. I can spend hours just looking. I have to say I too love the Cartier panther!
latkesanddimsum
August 13, 2012 at 6:55 amHappy first anniversary – your proposal story is so sweet (and how lovely to have another keepsake to remember that day!).
I am a big stationery junkie (I’m also super particular about pens, but that’s another story entirely). I used to go to the Printemps home store and load up on a ton of french stationery. Of course, I’ve never been able to use it up.
A year or two ago, I bit the bullet and ordered an engraved set from The Printery (Oyster Bay, NY). I think I drove them crazy with the endless back-and-forth about border colors and monogram colors – but I am super thrilled with the results. I also love Cartier stationery (ever see the designs with the red border and one heart on top?). Tiffany used to make gorgeous paper (actually, Crane made it for them), but they’ve since discontinued it. They had a pretty card set bordered in their signature blue.
Katherine
August 13, 2012 at 12:29 pmWow The Printery sounds amazing! Thank you for sharing and I need to check out Tiffany stationery – I actually love their diaries as well!
Tabitha
August 13, 2012 at 7:02 amOh I love stationary too, especially Smysthon, what a perfect gift, Happy Anniversary!
jeweliette23
August 13, 2012 at 7:03 amI love the Cartier stationary. I don’t collect, but I do have a few boxes on hand because I recently discovered their versatility when they don’t have specific messages on them. I’ve been using mine for thank you notes and wedding cards.
chocolatecookiesandcandies
August 13, 2012 at 7:11 amI only got into stationery last year. I received lovely emails from people who’d received my notelets from Smythson. Such a small gesture but it means a lot to the recipients. I try to wait for the sales so I can pick up sets from Smythson for half the price.
Katherine
August 13, 2012 at 9:41 amThat’s a great idea! I wish we could find discount Smythson here!
adele
August 13, 2012 at 8:29 amHappy anniversary Katherine – enjoy celebrating! What beautiful stationary – I can’t profess to own anything like that!!
Happy Monday Hun xoxo
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Jill
August 13, 2012 at 8:37 amHappy 1st Anniversary to you and your husband! I bought a set of black and white chevron notecards with red envelopes from pixelimpress (Pamela has an etsy store). They are gorgeous and chic, I highly recommend them!
Katherine
August 13, 2012 at 12:29 pmThank you for the recommendation! I must try them out 🙂
couturecoco
August 13, 2012 at 8:56 amHappy Anniversary! It’s certainly gone by so quickly.
I have always been obssessed with stationery. I used to save up pocket money as a kid to buy my favourite ones and then when I learnt to use the computer (I think they were just invented then) I designed my own and printed them out. There were sets for every kind of correspondence. One of my special ones were lavender colour and lavender scented I found on my first trip to the South of France as a teen – I still have it. My Tween girl seems to have inherited this love of stationery. We also love cards and postcards! Sorry trees!
Katherine
August 13, 2012 at 9:40 amYes it started when I was a tween too! We went to South Korea when I was like 12 and I went crazy, hahaha.
New Petite
August 13, 2012 at 9:56 amHappy Anniversary Katherine!! It is already one year! Time sure flies. Im a big fan of fountain pens 🙂
Cassie
August 13, 2012 at 11:13 amHappy Anniversary! That’s so wonderful to hear 🙂
I love stationary, but I find I’m kind of picky about it. I have two sets of Thank You cards at home in my desk right now. One set is a deep cream colour with a branch of pink and white cherry blossoms in one corner. The other set is a light tiffany blue colour with a plain silver stripe border just a little in from the edge. 🙂
Beautygirl24
August 13, 2012 at 11:56 amHappy Anniversary 🙂
Amy
August 13, 2012 at 12:17 pmThese stationary lines are so cute! I love the “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” set that you use everyday (although it reminds me of the movie “You’ve Got Mail” and the Stevie Wonder classic).
I am a big fan of the written word, and still hand write a lot of notes and letters, most notably to my boyfriend, who finds my notes in random pockets, in between files and my favorite, inside a pair of socks once (!) For those, I rely on The Paper Source and Etsy, and usually add a homemade twist to it – there’s a local shop by my parents’ house that makes paper flowers and incredibly beautiful paper that I’ll either use as a template or make into an envelope.
Happy first anniversary to you and your husband! 🙂
Katherine
August 13, 2012 at 12:26 pmThank you Amy! And I love paper flowers!
Sue
August 13, 2012 at 12:37 pmI have a little set of Smythson notecards with a little red shoe on them which was bought for me by a friend who knew I loved shoes. It took me ten years before I used my first one on a friend who I thought would appreciate it. I can’t bear to think of people not taking notice of small but significant details.
I had lovely wedding stationery done by the Wren Press in London where I went to the offices especially to order. It was all done by using an engraved copperplate. Lovely.
And I’m wondering if I can bear to splash out on Smythson Christmas cards this year which have a Christmas Pudding recipe printed on them.
Katherine
August 13, 2012 at 10:10 pmEngraved copperplate? That sounds luscious! And you are tempting me with the Christmas Pudding recipes – though I am like you, hate to think of my loved little paper cards being “wasted”!
Anoushka
August 13, 2012 at 1:15 pmI also have a soft spot for anything pen and paper. Unfortunately, in this digital age, I rarely take the chance to send anything handwritten. I love to see that you appreciate your beautiful stationary collection.
Jess
August 13, 2012 at 2:41 pmHow does one get the Cartier stationery? I’ve tried to find it online?
Katherine
August 13, 2012 at 10:28 pmI think you have to get it at a Cartier store – I’ve never seen them anywhere else..
philip go
August 13, 2012 at 3:25 pmI love Smythson! The Queen uses their stationary too:-)
Katherine
August 13, 2012 at 10:28 pmThanks Philip, now I feel fancy 🙂
alison*elle
August 13, 2012 at 3:41 pmHappy Anniversary! Your stationery collection is so classy… mine, on the other hand, is all cute Asian characters and bubble letters, haha.
xo, alison*elle
Catherine
August 13, 2012 at 4:48 pmHappy one year! Is it real one year already? No way…time goes by so fast.
Chic 'n Cheap Living
August 13, 2012 at 4:56 pmHappy anniversary dear! I’ve loved very indie pieces of stationary – prints from an Etsy artist on cardstock and wooden stationary from Night Owl Paper goods is fun. I love that so many smaller designers have great stationary now (love letter press in small quantities).
xoxo,
Chic ‘n Cheap Living
Cecilia Teh
August 13, 2012 at 6:26 pmHi Katherine and the rest
I used to buy a lot of cards, birthday cards, Valentine’s Day cards etc. However, along the way, some of them turn yellow or blotchy. I stay in the tropics, hence the humidity is high.
Does anyone else has the same problem?
Jess
August 14, 2012 at 3:00 amHi Cecilia! I live in the tropics as well and my paper usually has yellow spots on it as well if it gets old. I’ve been putting them in cabinets that are in rooms with AC on 24/7 but it still turns yellow. Anyone have any tips for us?
Katherine
August 14, 2012 at 7:52 amHave you ladies tried putting them in zip lock bags…? Just a thought…would love to hear other’s opinions!
audrinajulia
August 13, 2012 at 6:45 pmHappy Annivesary! One year had passed, so quick. Wishing more happiness to you and your husband for the years to come!
I remember I collect stationary like hello kitty, little twin stars and my melody on my elementary days and love to collect scented stationary when I’m in my high school years. I’m always on the look out before to reply on my friends letters and use them. Now my collections have been passed to my daughter and she’s the one who uses it. Up to now I’m still fond of collecting cute note and stationary pad on my desk which I only bought at the bookstore and on our local boutique that caters paper products. Love your collection, so classy.
Katherine
August 13, 2012 at 10:30 pmI LOVED Sanrio (actually I still love it now!). I’d totally write on Sanrio stationery if I could get away with it 🙂
RosaLovesDC
August 13, 2012 at 7:06 pmHappy first Anniversary! I think stationery is always such a wonderful gift to give. I am a big fan of Kate Spade stationery, the quality is superb and it’s always a bit whimsical and fun.
T
August 13, 2012 at 10:46 pmHappy anniversary, Kat! What a marvelous milestone to be celebrating (:
So happy that you did a stationery post; I’m a stationery buff and am absolutely drooling envy at that Cartier paper set. Do they still make them, do you know? And are they readily available in stores?
I have a Smythson set that I hardly use nowadays, most people I know would rather appreciate a quick text or email but I love the feel of writing on paper.
philip go
August 14, 2012 at 5:15 amIf my knowledge serves me right, they are only available at the 5th Avenue store if you’re in the US. 🙂
Katherine
August 14, 2012 at 7:51 amI think they do still make them but they are in Cartier stores only – I’d definitely check!
T
August 15, 2012 at 6:45 amPhilip & Kat – thanks! (:
I have a Cartier store near me so I’ll have to pop in to check. If not, I guess hitting up 5th Ave will be an experience too.
Eloquent English
August 14, 2012 at 5:09 amPretty stationary! I really need to invest in some! Maybe I’d write more letters… For our 1 year anniversary I bought my husband a bible and had it engraved. I owned like 4 bibles and he always borrowed mine. I figured it’d be nice for him to have one of his own! He purchased me a set of tickets to cirque dreams. xoxo
Whitney Worthington
August 14, 2012 at 11:28 amHappy First Anniversary. I love Crane & Co. and Caspari paper the most. I try to write both of my grandmother’s hand-written letters once a month!
Kanika
August 14, 2012 at 12:43 pmHello Katherine (and fellow readers),
Loved your post and happy paper anniversary (good day to readers!). Did you know that Cartier, Smythson and Tiffanny do not produce their own paper. All of it is bought from a company named Crane and Co. and rebranded and sold at a markup. Interestingly, Crane and Co. is the company that produced the first paper currency bills after the Declaration of Independence.
Of course we shall all miss the panther insignia but those who have used Crane’s paper (retails independently) claim that it is the softest writing paper available today. The reason: they use 100% cotton fiber, which is what makes the paper smooth and no wood pulp (cheaper, takes away smoothness). And a lot of old school printers in small towns make dies and print custom-made embossed gold letters/symbols for very little price. I wrote all of this, because I see that you clearly love fancy stationery 🙂
Your blog is cool
Kanika
P.S.- I love the idea of saving the box Mr. Feather proposed on. I would like that to happen to me one day so that I can take out a card for when my children celebrate their first birthday, get married, when we retire and other milestones.
Katherine
August 14, 2012 at 2:41 pmKanika thank you so much for your contribution! I loved hearing more about Crane. I knew they made paper for Kate Spade, etc but had no idea they made it for all the major brands. My first set of thank you notes were from Crane and I remember how much I loved them. There was a Crane store in Boston and I loved to visit there. I’m going to head over to their website now!
Mrs C
August 14, 2012 at 4:35 pmHAPPY ANNIVERSARY, KAT.. MANY HAPPY YEARS AHEAD!
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